[Note- items in parentheses are in the letters, not my additions. Nancy]

Belturbet, Cavan

Saturday May 1, 1836

Dear Sir,

O'Conor joined me last night; we shall now work like two coach horses.

As the progress of the Survey is now so very rapid would it not be
better for me to procure the correct names of the places without
delaying to collect and write the traditions connected with them? The
writing of long letters must evidently consume time, and as the
Memoir of this County will not (if ever) come on for a number of
centuries (years?) I should think it more prudent for me to keep pace
with the Survey than to lag behind writing traditions of holy wells
and castles. This is my firm conviction, but I leave it to yourself
to determine upon what plan I am to adopt.

Drumlane, however, is so imposing that I am tempted to write a few
words about it. It is called by the Irish Druim Leathan, Dosrum
Latum, a name which is not of ecclesiastical origin, but which
alludes to a beautiful ridge in the Townland.

The constant tradition of the country is that the "Round
Steeple" was built for a "Belfry". Dean Richardson's
story of an anchorite living on the top of it is not now known in the
country, and old Kennedy of Killycar House is a very intelligent old
gentleman now in the 82d year of his age, states that he never heard
of an anchorite living in the steeple, though he did of a hermit
living in a cell near the Church. This tradition of a hermit living
near the Church must allude to Brian O'Farelly, who is recorded by
the Four Masters to have commenced the erection of a Cloch Angcoire
near the Church.

"A.D. 1484. Died John O'Faircheallaigh, a canon of the family of
Drumlahan and Brian O'Faircheallaigh, a priest who had commenced the
erection of an anchorite's stone-cell at the Templemore of Drumlane."

The O'Farrellys and Mac Gaghrans were the hereditary Coarbs and
Erenachs of the place, and are still numerous in the Parish.

The door of the steeple is at least eleven feet from the ground and
the top is knocked into the steeple which fills it up to a
considerable height.

The same tradition which is current in other parts of Ireland is told
here also, viz., that the steeple was erected by a woman to a certain height!

(vide Clones)

The north side of this steeple exhibits, sculptured upon the stones,
a cock and a hen, emblems which would set O'Brien mad as representing
the fructifying influence of the sun and moon, emblems of Mr. and
Mrs. Buda!

What could have influenced the son of the star, the holy and pious
St. Mogue, to get a cock and hen sculptured on his castellated
sacristy and belfry, is to me a mystery. What does our friend the
Thaumaturgus say about it?

The Bell which spoke (sounded) with a silver tongue in the top of
this tower is now in the bottom of the adjoining lake, and it is
reported that its silver tongue was found not many years ago.

I cannot but damn the assurance of Dr. Charles O'Conor, who had the
daring effrontery to say in Latin that the Cloigtheachs or Campanilia
[Nancy's note - means bell] of the ancient Irish were made of wood.

I send the Name Books of Drumlane and Annagh. Look at the plan of the
Parish and see if in the Townland of Derrintinny in the west of the
Parish there be a well marked under teh name of Tober Mogue, and
Gloonmogue, a flag with the impression of that Saint's hard knee? I
think they should appear on the Map.

The history of Mogue, (Mo-Aodh-Og* - my dear little Hugh) who was
first called Fintan, and who became the Patron of the Diocese of
Ferns as well as of Drumlane, and of teh periods at which the
Claightheach of Drumlane was first erected and afterwards repaired,
must be digested at a future period.

Let the above stand on record against Richardson's Anchorite tower.

* St. Mogue or Maidoc was born (according to his life in Acta SS p.
208 and 216 and the tradition in the country) on the Island of Inis
Breghmhuigh in the Barony of Tullyhaw and County of Cavan:-
"Insula Breaghmhuighe est Diocesis Kilmorensis sita in Stagno
quodam in reguincula Breffiniae Telach-Ethach vulgo appellata."
-Colgan, Acta SS, p. 216, col 1, note 6

This island is situate in a lake in the Parish of Templeport in the
Barony of Tullyhaw and now called Port Island and Mogue's Island. St.
Mogue is the Patron of this Parish, as well as of Rossinver in
Leitrim, Drumlane in Cavan and Ferns in Wexford. - J. O'D, Sept. 8th 1836

Of the town Belturbet I find no record except that it was a castle
built by Hugh Connallach O'Reilly, A.D. 15--. The ford which this
castle commanded is called by O'Sullevan Bel-Tarbert and Latinised
Os-Tarberti. The castle was called by the Irish Caislen Tairbeirt and
the town is still named Belturbert by many of the country people in
its vicinity. The ruins of the castle are still traceable near
Beltrubet Distillery; are they marked on the map?

The Hill of Mullach na Mallacht, on which the Clergy of Drumlane were
wont to curse those who plundered their Churches or lands, has in
latter times lost that very ugly name, it being now called
Lisnamaine, but old Kennedy of Killycar remembers that it was called
Mullach na Mallacht or Collis Maledictionum, though he accounts for
the name by a story about a square (Squire) Columb and a blind
fiddler. The following story taken from the O'Reilly Pedigree, will
account for the name in a somewhat more plausible manner and throw
light upon the ferocity or rapacity of Priors to the time of peace.

"The Dumb Prior O'Reilly was fostered by the O'Sherridans of the
Island. It is said that he was a great bestower and that he continued
on one occasion giving away money and horses for three days until at
last he was struck dumb (from hard work! I suppose). But others say
that he was styled dumb Prior as having lost his speech for quite a
different reason; on one occasion he plundered and robbed Drumlane
and the Coarb came to him and said that the plundering of that Church
of Mogue never yet succeeded with any one and requested him to
restore the booty, but the other would not; whereupon the Coarb went
to the Chapel of St. Maodhog to put it in order, and soon after
passed down to Mullach no Mallacht or Hill of the Curses and there
pronounced the curse of St. Maodhog against the Prior, who in
consquence whereof was struck dumb." O'Reilly Pedigree, page 279

This hill lies a mile and a half south of Belturbet.

Drummany is another place (a fort and Townland) in this Parish of
Drumlane of the name of which the O'Reilly Pedigree affords a
legendary explanation;- "Mahon O'Reilly was a good almsgiver,
and after having bestowed a mantle upon a monk, he got a promise from
him that he (Mahon) should never die without the priest. It is
reported that he desired the Clergy of Drumlane to visit him
frequently during his last illness which was long and protracted, but
the clergy finding that he was not willing to pay them for their
visits at length neglected him and he died without the priest. His
body was carried towards Drumlane and when the funeral had arrived at
the fort of Druim Manaigh (Dorsum Monachi) two monks made their
appearance, of whom one was in vestments ready for Mass; the other
came forward and opened the Aileatrum or Hearse, upon which Mahon
revived, made his confession to the monk and died immediately after."

These stories were swallowed in Spain without sauce, where Don
Antonio O'Reilly was ennobled. After Mahon had been interred at
Drumlane, Gelasius Roe composed the following Quatraine for him;-

Oh thou! who readiest this flag so heavy

Which presses on the fair and smooth thigh of the son of Donnell,

O Mahon it is not meet to place it,

But silk instead and stones of chrystal.

The present presiding Saint is Laurence, festival 10th August.

The Parish of Annagh adjoining Drumlane is called in the annals
Eanach Garbh. This will assist O'Keeffe in finding out the Patron
Saint of it.

"A.D. 1418. Philip the son of Giolla-Iosa O'Reilly, Deacon of
Drumlane and Vicar of Annagh Garve, was drowned in Lough Sheelion, etc."

There is a Townland in the same Parish called Killoughter containing
the ruins of an old Church of the same name (or rather which gave
name to the Townland) of which I find the following very curious
notice in the O'Reilly Pedigree;-

"The Church of Kill-Uachtair was erected by Philip, the son of
Brian, as a place for Mass, and as a fastness (fortress) against the
County of Monaghan. It is said that there were seven Bishops present
at the consecration of it."

This church lies close to the County of Monaghan. It is curious to
find a Church erected for the double purpose of piety and defence.*

Your obediant servant,

John O'Donovan

* There are very numerous instances of such in Ireland. The Church
and Castle of Tulsk in the County of Roscommon is a very good
specimin of the combined purpose and it is perhaps a singular proof
of the general tendency in the natives of those days to respect
religious exeruption from violence, that defence forms the exception
rather than the rule. - O'R.

Cavan, May 19, 1836

Dear Sir,

We arrived here this morning at 8 o'clock, but were much disappointed
in not meeting the Name Books of some of the southern Baronies.
O'Conor will have nothing to do unless they arrive tomorrow. I write
this in a hurry but I shall write again immediately. Send whatever
Name Books are ready, and if they be not ready I think it is better
to send them that we may procure the correct names as at present
pronounced in the country, and finish the comparison with the
Inquisitions afterward. We should have the Name Books as prepared as
possible before setting out for the country.

I am exceedingly sorry to hear that Georgie Petrie is not improving;
the father is so sympathetic that he is well or ill accordingly as he
sees that child improving or otherwise. I often deem it a pity that
literary men should be married at all.

I hope that the Books will arrive in time. O'Conor will never be able
to meet the expenses attending this rapid tour through Cavan. We
expect to get finished before our pay can be sent.

Your obediant servant,

John O'Donovan

Cavan, Thursday, May 19, 1836

Dear Sir,

On Sunday last we travelled on foot from Belturbet to Bellaconnell, a
distance of five Irish miles and stopped there for the night to get
the names in the Parish of Tom Regan but to our great disappointment
we found the ancient language and the traditions quite extinct in
that part of the County. The language is spoken by the old people
only, and even these do not understand the meanings of the
topographical names (words). The only tradition connected with the
Village of Bellaconnell is that it took its name from the ford over
which the bridge now stands, and that the ford was called
Beul-Atha-Chonail from a chief of the name Connell who was killed at
it in the year (God knows what year, but it was long before the wars).

Of the meaning or origin of Tom-Regan they can tell nothing but upon
reference to the Annals of the Four Masters it struck me very
forcibly that it must be the place called Tuaim Dreacon in that Chronical-

"Anno Mundi, 3723. Eochy, King of Ireland, fought the Battle of
Tuaim Dreacon in Hy-Briuin Breifny".

This is certainly the modern Tomreagan (Tuam Dhrecon, tumulus
Dreconi) the D being aspirated and as it generally happens, totally
sunk in the anglicised spelling and pronunciation.

On Monday we proceeded from Bally or Bella Connell in a northwestern
direction through the Parishes of Templeport and Kilnaile, until we
arrived at Swanlinbar, called by the Irish Muilleann Iarainn or the
Iron Mill.

The tradition in this neightbourhood is that Swanlinbar is not an
Irish name but one formed by compact from the first syllables of the
names of three ancient proprietors of the Iron Works; this may be
historical fact, but I should like to procure some more certain
record of it than oral and vulgar tradition.

After having procured a kind of a dinner at the head Inn of
Swanlinbar, wishing to lose no time in that uninteresting village we
directed our course southwestwards for about three miles through the
Parish of Kil Naile, and then turned northwestwards to make our way
into the centre of the wild valley of Glen Gavlen, a distance of
perhaps the wildest district I ever saw. Situated between the two
lofty and barren Mountains of Cailceach and Sliabhan-Iarainn, this
valley will never induce mankind to run a railroad through it; its
sides are precipitous and rocky, defying the exertions of the plough
and teh wheeled car, and even of the side car! The loy (a peculiar
long spade) only can be used to form the nidus for the potato and grain.

The snow lies brooding on the mountains on either side till late in
Spring (which prevents early tillage) and when dissolving before the
south wind warmed by the sun of spring it (i.e. the snow turned into
water) overfloods and injures the sloping fields, the Mistks and
Meenies of this Valley of Gavlen.

Its road (if road it might be called) is precipitous and stony, and
intersected by many deep and rough glens with their mountain streams
(now nearly dried up) which makes it very difficult to run a rail
road from the City of Bawnboy to that of the Black Lion. Perhaps the
future industry of the men of Hy Briuin Breifny may open this
important communicaion after they shall have again set up Magauran as
teh Lord of the Tribe of Eochy (Tullyhaw)!

We lodged in a farmer's house in Glen Gavlen for two days; on Tuesday
we directed our course northwards through the parish of Templeport,
over a very bad, rough, rocky road and indulged our curiosity by
visiting the large spring well in the Townland of Derrylahan in which
the Shannon (according to tradition) had its source. It is a round
deep pool throwing out a stream of considerable size which the
country people call the Shannon. The pool itself is called by some
Poll Lagan Sionna, and Lag Bhun na Sionna by others. From this pool
we directed our course through the Parish of Killoynagh to hear the
names of the townlands in it prounouned in Irish by the natives. They
speak the Irish very well but retain no traditions connected with the
old Church except that it was built by St.

Bridget and St. Leyny, from the latter of whom it and its Parish have
received its name. There are two wells dedicated to them which are
set down in the name Books and which will consequently appear on the Map.

Of St. Leyny nothing is now remembered but that he was a Leinsterman
who, falling in love with St. Bridget, followed her hither, but who,
when St. Bridget plucked out her eyes to destroy her beauty,
repented, became a Saint and built this Church by which he
transmitted his memory to posterity with more success than he would
have by marrying the beautiful-eyed Bridget.

When St. Leynie declared that he was in love with St. Bridget she
asked with what part of her he was in love. He answered, with her
eyes, upon hearing which she plucked out her eyes saying, here they
are for you - a wonderful thing for one to do, who was herself a bastard.

After getting the names of the Parish of Kil-Loynie we returned from
the Black Lion and Lough Macnean to our host in Glenn Gaibhlean, and
the next morning we remeasured our journey along the craggy and
precipitous road between the mountains, the only pass out of this
dreary district and proceeded southwards throught the Parish of
Templeport with a view of seeing Father Philip Magauran, a lineal
descendant of the last chief of the tribe of Eochy (Tullyhaw) but he
was not at home.

We then enquired for the oldest and longest headed man in the
southern part of Templeport Parish and soon made out old Morrow, the
father of Mr. Morell, who is merchant tailor in Sackville Street,
Dublin. He is well acquainted with his own part of the Parish and
speaks the old language remarkably well but he is not learned enough
to understand the meanings of the topographical words. He told us
however the traditions connected with St. Mogue's Island of Port,
which are as indistinct as they are wonderful.

Some say that St. Mogue was born on this island, which is, I believe,
not true but all agree that in the absence of a currach a flag or
flat stone floated on the surface of the lough and conveyed a child
of Drumreilly over to Port Island to be baptised by St. Mogue (see a
full account of these miracles in the Life of St. Mogue, now in the
possession of Myles John O'Reilly, Esq.)

From this Parish we proceeded to Bella Connell, from thence to
Belturbet, and from Belturbet to Cavan where we now stop in the house
of James Reilly of the family of Kilnacrot.

After this description of our wearisome journey through the Baronly
of Tullyhaw, during which you will observe that we did not lose a
second (minute) it may not be uninteresting to shew [sic] how it
received its name of Tullyhaw. It is to be noted that the ancient
Irish did not take names from places but like all nations who were
divided into Clans, gave the name of the family to the seigniory to
them belonging, as our learned O'Flaherty doth observe in his Ogygia
Vindicated - a work in which he thunders with honest and patriotic
indignation against the knavish fooleries of Sir George MacKenzie.

Now be it known that it has been ascertained from the most genuine
and unobjectionable chronicles of the Island of Druids and Saints
that Eochy Moyvahaine, the most noble Monarch of Ireland in the 4th
century, had a son called Brian, who begat Duach the Valorous, who
begat Eogan Sreve, who begat Muireadhach, who begat Fergus, who begat
Duach of the Copper Tongue, King of Connaught, and Brian, from whom
all the Hy-Briuin Breifne are descended. This Brian was fostered and
educated by the great Saint Columb and from his great proficiency in
the various kinds of knowledges then known to the Irish, he received
the ditinguished appellation of Feargna which is as much to say Vir
Sapiens in the Latin Tongue and man of Wisdom in the English.

This Brian, surnamed Feargna, had a son Breunainn, who begat
Baoithin, who begat Maonach, who had issue Eochaidh. This Eochy
became father of a numerous tribe who from him took the patronymic of
Tealach Eathach, i.e. Eochoides or tribe of the Eochy, whose name
being difficult of utterance to a civilised English tongue was
barbarised to Tully-Haw instead of Tellach-Eochy. A few generations
lower in the Pedigree appears Samhradhan, pronounced Sauran, who,
living during the reign of Brian Boru, was obliged to impose it as an
injunction upon his sons, grandsons and posterity that they should
thenceforward take name from him, an injunction imposed on all the
other chiefs and strictly adhered to throughout Ireland in general,
as well as at the foot of Slieve Anierin.

Now it happened that some families preferred the prefix Mac to O' the
former meaning son (fitz) and the latter grandson (nepos) and those
who assumed the Mac were the descendants of this Sauran, who
thenceforward became Mag-Saurans which among the Normans woud sound
Fitz-Saurans; but as in the Irish Language the genitive case of a
man's name most generally (but not always) suffered aspiration, the S
dwindled to the faint sound of H and the whole of the name became Mag-hauran,
and in the latter ages when men are becoming fond of tidy short
monosyllabic names an attempt has been made to Anglicise it to
Magauran - which is still (as a member of the family has told me) a
very ugly name to go to Church with! Should any of the fmaily ever
embrace the aristocratic religion of the State I would advise him to
alter his ugly name to Sauran (or Summers) which will be strictly
analogical. Throughout Meath this family anglicise their name Govern,
which is certainly a powerful form of the Cognomen worthy of Brian a Chogaidh.

Baoithin, above mentioned, the grandfather of Eochy, had seven sons
the youngest of whom was called Muldoon, who was cursed by St. Dalan
and struck barren like the fig tree. "Ar rob e sin andiadhu uair
ro easguin Dallan e" - McFirbis. This Dallan must have been the
Patron Saint of Kildallan, the Parish which adjoins Temple-an-phort
to the south? Is he not mentioned in the Irish Calendar? Let O'Keeffe
examine the Calendar carefully and see if Laighne of Kill Laighneach
occurs in it. Let him also consult Colgan's Triad Thau. for the list
of Churches in Ireland in which St. Bridget was revered as the
Patron, and see if any Churches in Breifnia are mentioned?

Norden gives a better map of the two Breifnes than the one sent me;
please to let me have it also. There is a very good map of Leitrim
anc Cavan in the College, of which I should like to have a tracing.

Shane More O'Dugan, Bard of the Hy-Many, in his topographical poem
composed before the year 1370, finds Magauran the Chief of Teallach
Eachdhach. I give his very words as well as they can bear translation-

"High King of Briefny of lasting power (sway)

Is O'Rourke to whom the tribute of Connaught is due,

Around whom these chiefs are found;

Mac Tiernan (McKiernan) of the lordly soul

Prop of the genuine Gaels,

Liberator of the clergy and their friend,

Rules o'er Teallach Doncha

Magauran, a tie of strength,

Sways over illustrious Teallach Eochy (1)

His country is not rendered ugly by the wind,

(a thir nocha granda o'n ngaoith) (2)

Mac Consnava (now Forde) rules Clan Kenny (3)"

(1) Now barbarised to Tullahonoho and Tullyhonco; I think it should
be made Tullydunca!

(2) With every deference to the veneralbe testimony of Shane O'Dugan,
I would venture to affirm that the mountains and glens of
Slieve-an-Ierin and Cailceach are ugly enough from the influence of
the wind, or whatever other elements war against the fertility and
vivid beauty of a distict. But the southern parts of Magauran's
country is certainly fertile and not rendered ugly by the wind.

(3) One of this name yet living in Glen Gavlen is said to be one
hundred and twenty years; he tells the young people he was the Glas Gavlen.

A few Extracts from the Annals of the Four Masters will prove that
the Magaurans were fonder of fighting than of making railroads.

"A.D. 1496. Magauran (Donnell Bearnach) Chief of Teallach
Eachdhach was treacherously slain before (at) the Altar of the Church
of Teampall-an-Phuirt by Teige, the son of Hugh Magauran, and the
marks of the blows aimed at him are yet visible in the corners of the Altar."

A.D. 1512. Philip, the son of Torlogh Maguire, joined by the sons of
Thomas Magauran, made an irruption into Teallach Eachdhach and took a
prey from Torlogh, the son of Hugh Magauran, Tanish of the Territory,
and slew Torlogh himself as he followed in pursuit of it. They then
proceeded to Ballymagauran which they took; and they made a prison of
the Magauran himself, who was sick at the time, but they afterwards
left him behind because he could not be conveniently brought away, etc."

I hope the Name Books will arrive before we are knocked idle. Can
O'Keeffe ascertain from Mac Firbis what was the family name or names
of teh Tribe of Teallach Gairbhath now Tully Garvey? Do the pedigrees
of McCaba or O'Sheridan appear?

Your obediant servant,

John O'Donovan

Cavan

May 21, 1836

Dear Sir,

I find that the Name Books have not arrived this morning either. This
is really too bad when we are so anxious to work. As I am most
anxious to collect all the rhymes and rags of Irish history and
Chorography, I shall amuse myself by writing a few remarks upon the
Shannon's source, and first of all, I shall give Cambrensis's
description of that majestic stream and Gratianus Lucius's most
unmerciful critique of the same.

THE RIVER SINNENUS

"Of all the rivers in Ireland whether modern or ancient
(this alludes to the old tradition that there were only ten rivers in
Ireland in Partholanus's time) the Shannon deservedly holds the first
rank as well on account of its majestic size and long course through
so many territories, as on account of the great abundance of its
fish. For it has its source in a large and beautiful lake dividing
Connaught from Momonia (Ultonia) and extends its two arms towards two
opposite points of the world. One of these arms flows southwards by
the City of Killaloe, and embraces Limerick, and at the distance of
more than one hundred miles from thence separates the two Munsters
from each other, and empties itself int the Brendanic Sea. The other
arm, which is not smaller than the former, divides Meath and the
Ulterior parts of Ulster from Connaught and after many and various
meanderings finally precipitates itself into the northern ocean. It
therefore, divides and separates from sea to sea like the fourth or
western part of Ireland from the other three, like a mediterranian river."

"This kingdom was anciently divided into five almost equal
portions, viz., the two Momoniae northern and southern, Lagenia,
Ultonia and Conaltia. All which, according to the prophecy of
Merlinus, are to be reduced into one.

But more will be said concerning these divisions in their proper places.

One thing however remains to be noted here that the two Momoniae
comprise the southern, Ultonia the northern, Lagenia the eastern and
Conaltia the western part of Ireland." - Topographia Hiberniae,
dist. 1, Cap. 6.

On this the celebratedand erudite John Lynch writes the following
critique in his Cambrensis Eversus, in most excellent Latin, of which
the following is but a bad translation -

"His errors concerning the River Shannon. I cannot sufficiently
express my wonder at his assertion that the River Shannon takes its
rise in a very large and beautiful lake and empties itself by one arm
into the western sea, and dividing the Ulterior parts of Ulster from
Connaught is at length precipitated into the northern ocean, and that
the lake from which the Shannon flows divides Conacia from Mommonia.
For during the whole course of that river no other lake stagnates
between Connaught and Munster, but Lough Dergderg (Deirgdheirc) which
spreads itself to an ample extent above Killaloe, and to assert that
the Shannon has its source in this Lough is a most glaring falsehood.

"With much greater accuracy does Camden and the fact speak -
'The Shannon, he says, the most noble river in all Ireland which
flows between Meath and Connaught, is called Senus by Ptolomy, Sena
by Orosius and in some copies Saecana, flumen Senese by Giraldus, but
Shannon by the natives, a name which some interpret as signifying
ancient river. It rises (is poured out) from the Mountains of Therne'
(Sliabh an Iarainn) ' in the County of Leitrim and cutting its way
directly southwards, now expands itself into lakes and now contracts
itself into a narrow channel and after forming a lake or two it once
again collects itself within its banks and visits the Macolicum of
Ptolemy, which is now called Male, as that most erudite geographer,
G. Mercator, has observed. It is soon after received by another
extensive lake (Loch Righi) the name and situation of which suggest
that the City of Rhigia which Ptolomy places in that parallel, was
not far distant."

"After having passed this lake it collects itself into a
narrower channel and here the Town of Athlone stands upon it. Then
the Shannon, after passing the Cataract at Killaloe, channel and
embraces the City of Limerick. From thence for a distance of about
sixty miles th Shannon rolls westwards, a straight majestic river
abounding in islands, and finally, with a vast mouth it pours its
waters beyond Knockpatrick into the western ocean."

[There is much debate about the two sides in question, not too much
discussion of local topography, history, etc - mostly conjecture]

Cavan

Sunday, May 22, 1836

Dear Sir,

I have received the Name Books of Urney and Castleterra, but we shall
have done with them tomorrow - I expect, therefore, that the other
Baronies will be sent us that we may work separately at different
Parishes. I intend to move in the direction of Killeshandra while
O'Conor directs his course to the Town of Cootehill, for we can thus
get finished in a very short time.

Upon looking over the Extracts from the Annals of the Four Masters, I
find that the Valley of Glenn Gaibhlen is mentioned in them with a
slight change in the termination of the name which shews that
tradition often corrupts ancient names and places for the purpose of
making them agree with old stories, a fact which, I think, I have
already fully established in a letter from Maghera in the county of
Londonderry. The passage runs as follows-

"A.D. 1390. The Clan Mortogh and the Teallach Donchadha (now
Tullaghonoho) emigrated in despite of the O'Rourkes into
Fiodh-na-Fionnoige, Sliabh-Corran and Kinel Luachain. As soon as
O'Rourke, who was then in Gleann Gaibhle, had received intelligence
of this, he brought his moveables with him to the upper part of K
inel Luachain where he made an attack upon the people from
Beal-Atha-an-Doire (Bellanderry) to the summit of the hills of Briefny."

Touching the Castle of Belturbet

De munitione de Vado Tarbeti, et Osullevani fuga

It appears from Norden's Map that the Castle of Belturbet stood on
the east side of the River Erne, which agrees with the tradition of
the country, videlicet, that Caislean Tairbeirt was a small building
which stood on a point of land running into the Erne not far from the
Belturbet Distillery. Its ruins are now level with the ground and
scarcely visible.

Old Mac Donnell of Annagh Parish remembers to have seen a
considerable portion of the walls standing but he says that it
appeared from the ruins to be seen in his time that Castle-Tarbert
was but a small building commanding that part of the river opposite
the Distillery, at which only it was fordable. In his memory some of
the rocks were removed from the channel of the river, which renders
it now much deeper and more difficult of being forded than it was formerly.

O'Sullevan Beare crossed this ford after his flight from Dunboy and
Glengarriff which is the only corcumstance that has handed down its
correct name of Bel-Tarbert, i.e. Os Tarberti to posterity.

Conor Roe, who was styled the English Maguire, hearing of
O'Sullevan's march in this direction with the intention of going to
confer with O'Neill then in the fastness of Glenconkeine
(Ballynascreen) hastened with a body of the Queen's soldiers from
Enniskillen to this ford to intercept O'Sullevan's passage, but the
latter had crossed Bel-Tarbert before the former could reach it.
(Vide Hist. Cathol. Fol.)

Concerning the Church of Drumlane

De Ecclesia de Dorso Lato et nativitate Si. Maidoci

According to the tradition that now lingers in the Parish of
Drumlane, St. Mogue was the original founder of the round steeple and
the Abbey, still it would appear from the Life of that distinguished
Bishop given by Colgan that there had been an ecclesiastical
establishment there before he (Mogue) was born.

"There was a certain nobleman in the Country of the
Connacians whose name was Setna, and who was married to Eithnia of
the seed of Aulaus (Amalgaid). These having no heir entreated God to
grant them a son, and for that end they performed many acts of
charity, paying frequent visits to the Saints who resided in the
Monastery of Druim Leathan. These Saints also interceded with God to
bless this couple with a son. Some time after, Setna slept with his
wife Ethne, and on that night he had a dream - he saw a star falling
down into the mouth of his wife, and his wife in a vision saw the
moon falling into her husband's mouth. When they awoke they related
each in turn what they had seen. And on that night St. Aedanus, who
is commonly called Moedoc, was conceived, and who for this reason is
called by many the Son of the Star." Acta SS. page 208, col. 1.

I had expected to find a moon and a star sculpted on Mogue's Belfry
instead of a Cock and a Hen.

What a pity that O'Brien had not this passage that he might prove it
remains of a pagan belief in the prolific influence of the moon.

Colgan in a note in which he gives the situataion of Duim Leathan
has, I think, committed a strange mistake. He writes-

"Druim Lethain was formerly for many years a celebrated
Monastery, now it is only a Parish Church in the Diocese of Kilmore
and County of Cavan on the confines of both Breffnys and a noble
burial place of the chief men of both countries. Here was a Monastary
until the year 1025, at which the Four Masters record the death of
Dubensius O'Forchelluigh (O'Farrelly) Abbot of Druimlahan."

Druim-Leathan, however, is not on the confines of both Breffnies, for
the Parish of Kildallan and a considerable portion of the Parish of
Drumlane lie between teh Monastery and Breifny O'Rourke, that is, if
we are right in making Breifny O'Reilly coextensive with the present
County of Cavan.(from footnote - Colgan is right. It appears from
O'Dugan's Topographical Poem that the Baronies of Tullyhaw and
Tullyhonco belonged to O'Rourke.)

Let this however, remain for future consideration.

De-Castello do Tully-Mongan

A quo erectum nunc dubium-Gallow's Hill, nunc nuncupatus ejus situs.

In the Pedigree of County O'Reilly, scraped together by the Chevalier
Thomas O'Gorman, I find the following reference to Tully-Mongan-

"The Castle of Tully-Mongan was erected by Torlogh, the son of
Shane the Hospitable. The place was called Tulach-Mongain from
Mongan, a Danish Chief, who raised a great hill or moat (fort) there."

This passage seems to have been taken from a MS. account of the
O'Reilly family compiled from various sources by a Shanachie of the
name Brady or Mac Brady(from footnote - this is an error. It was
originally compiled by Beothius Roe Mac Egan, and -- Hacket, two of
the Irish Friars of Lovaine.

J.O'D, Sept. 6 1836) about the commencement of the last century, but
it appears from the strain in which it is written that he penned down
the greater part of it from oral tradition as he seldom or never
gives dates- now I feel inclined to doubt that Tulach Mongain
received that name from a Dane, because I find that Mongan (which, si
vocis etymon spectes, signifies a hairy man) was very common among
the ancient Irish as the proper name of a man, and is yet preserved
as a surname anglicised Mongan and incorrectly Mangan, while I find
no such name among the Danes who settled in any part of Ireland.

It also admits of doubt that the Castle of Tulach Mongain was erected
by Torlogh, the son of Shane O'Reilly- it is true that he is the
first mentioned by the Four Masters as having died in the Castle of
Tulach Mongain, but they have another passage from which we must
infer that it was a seat of the Prince of Breifny before the time of
Torlogh, the son of Shane.

"A.D. 1400. Shane, the son of Philip O'Reilly, Lord of Breifny,
died of a sudden fit in his bed at Tulach Mongain."

"A.D. 1487. O'Reilly (Torlogh the son of Shane who was the son
of Owen) died suddenly in his Castle of Tulach Mongain, and his son
Shane was styled O'Reilly as his successor."

Here it is to be observed that although Tulach Mongain is not
called a castle in the passage at the year 1400, it is nevertheless
more than probable that it was a castle, as being the residence of
the head of the family. It is certain that other branches of the
family had castles at this period, and it is not likely that the
Prince of Briefny would entrust his safety to a common house while he
knew the art of building a castle in which he could sleep fortified
against the nocturnal attackes of Maguire, Mac Mahon and the rivals
of his own family. We must therefore infer that Mac Brady or O'Gorman
or whoever it was that has ascribed the erection of the Castle of
Tully-Mongan to Torlogh, the son of Shane, must have been misinformed
on the subject, or have drawn too hasty an inference from the annals
of 1487.

[more from this letter later...]

Cavan

Sunday, May 22, 1836

Tulach Mongain, now correctly anglicised Tully Mongan statnds over
the Town of Cavan to the east. The castle has long since disappeared
and the Danish fort or moat referred to by Mac Brady is much lessened
(effaced) its mounds levelled, and carried away to fertilize the
surrounding farms- I think, however, that the site of it should be
marked on the Ordnance Map, and there is a tradition that a castle
stood within the circle of the fort. It is now called the Gallow's
Hill but was anciently called Castle Hill. Mr. Stotherd says that he
has laid down the site of another castle in Cavan and also the site
of the Monestery, upon the plan. Be sure he has marked the remains of
the fort of Tully Mongain for if not he can mark it before he leaves
Cavan. De asse mirabili in medio lapidis reporto!

Mr. Stotherd will tell you of a coin found in this neighbourhood in
the centre of a stone. I saw it today. It is certainly an Eastern
coin dropped and perhaps artificially inserted into a stone by some
Eastern traveller to puzzle antiquarians. It is quite new and fresh
and exhibits a cock and some Arabic characters, which identifies it
with the Tower of Drumlane, which also exhibits the cock, but no
Arabian or Persian characters. Mr. M. Babington, in whose possession
the coin now is, believes that it was found in the centre of a
Grawacchie rock, and that it is an Irish coin of remote antiquity.

The young science of Geology, if I remember rightly, will take upon
it to prove that this kind of stone has been formed before man was
acquainted with the art of minting. But Irish antiquarians will prove
their early acquaintance with coining (forgery) from the period of
the antediluvian Kessair to the reign of Con of the Hundred Battles.

Credat hoc Judaenus Apella!

That the Prince of Breifny coined in the reign of Henry VI is
certain, as the Pedigree of Count O'Reilly produces an Act of
Parliament made 25th Henry VI (A.D. 1447) prohibiting the circulation
of O'Reilly's money, but it is equally certain that he (Prince of
Briefny) never coined this beautiful piece, though it may have been
coined about fifty years ago to puzzle antiquaries.

Mr. Babington would not let it out of his possession lest any one
might be so wicked as to take a cast of it, and thus lessen its
value. Mr. B., however, only heard that it was found in the centre of
a stone, but his is convinced that the man who told him so would not
tell a lie, though he would (did) not tell who this truth-loving
individual is. If the evidence of it's having been found in a stone
were weighed, it would appear that there is no connection between
this coin and the Tower of Drumlane.

J. O'Donovan

Dear Sir,

We have received that name Books of Castlerahan Barony, and we
therefore start now for Bally James Duff, a route which will put us
several days out of our way, for we must return to Cavan again. I
never again intend to start for any County until I shall have all the
Books ready to take with me.

What do you intend to do about the County of Leitrim? There are no
Inquisitions ready for that County. What state are the Name Books in?
Shall we have to go back to Dublin previously to our visit to O'Rourke?

Direct all to Cavan as usual.

Your obediant servant,

John O'Donovan

Virginia

May 25th, 1836

Dear Sir,

Is it not a most extraordinary thing that I should be taken for a
Methodist? I wear a black coat, a black waistcoat, a pair of black
trousers, a black hat, black shoes and most generally a black (dirty,
dusty) shirt, a very appropriate color to represent the dark designs
of one who intends to make Protestants of the Townlands, and yet the
Friars who were holy men belonging to God wore very black clothes. I
assure you that I was refused lodgings in several places in
consequence of looking so much like a swadling preacher. Think you
then how hard it was for Saint Patrick to work his point among the
sun-worshippers of Breifny.

I addressed a letter to the learned and excellent Mr. Morton of
Kilnacrot formerly Professor of Mathematics in the College of ---- in
America but now the proprietor of the Kilnacrot Estate which devolved
on him by the death of his elder brother, and he has sent me the
following answer, which I consider worthy of his learning-

Sir,

It would give me great pleasure, so far from esteeming it a trouble,
could I answer in any way satisfactorily your interesting questions
respecting the names Mullagh Castle, and Castle Raheen, and the
historical facts you mention in connection with them. I am not aware
of a castle or Church having existed at Mullaghcastle in Crosserlough
Parish and should rather incline your suggestion of teh parish of
Mullagh being the locality you seek for. I have an opportunity
however of making enquiry just at this moment from the circumstance
of Mr. O'Reilly of Beltrasna (a descendant of the Count O'Reilly you
refer to) being with me for a few days, and will acquint you with the
result, as also with respect to Castle Raheen. I shall at the same
time have much pleasure in naming you the best acquainted persons I
can find for your purpose in this parish.

Your very obediant servant,

Pierce Morton

Kilnacrott

May 25th, 1836

I have to lament that I had not a letter of introduction from Mr.
O'Reilly to him. He will direct his letter to the Ordnance Survey
Office, please then forward it to me, and then you shall have my
commentaries upon it and the other traditions you have heard.

The name Castlerahan (Castleraghan is barbarous) certainly signifies
the castle of (at or near) the little fort, as the locality and
tradition among the peasantry will prove. The O'Reilly Pedigree also
affords a clue to the original orthography.

"The District of Uachtar-Tire or the southeast district of
Breifny now called Loch Ramhor or the Barony of Castle Raheen was the
patrimony of Felim, the son of Shane O'Reilly." - page 137

Tomorrow we shall make a great exertion to get done here. Tell Mr.
Curry that I expect the Books will not be delayed.

We shall be in Cavan on Friday, after which I shall take up
Tullyhonoho and Clan-Mahon while O'Conor goes to Cootehill to do
Tullagh Garvey. This will direct Mr. Curry in preparing the Books.

When I go out again I shall have on me a green coat, a green
waistcoat, a white shirt and a pari of chimerically coloured breeches.

We could get no place to stop in but the Head Inns, which has drained
our pockets to the last shilling. We have only as much money as will
take us to Cavan- a great prospect for a happy old age!

Your obediant humbled servant,

John O'Donovan

Bally-James-Duff

May 25th, 1836

Dear Sir,

Before leaving Cavan we sent the Name Books of the Parishes of Urney
containing the Town of Cavan, and Castleterra containing Ballyhayes,
in both which the aboriginal language is reeling under the last blow!

Duo Castella in Cavani oppido - monasterium ubi situm.

Besides the Castle of Tullymongan, which according to just (fere)
extinguished tradition, stood within the ring of the fort that crowns
the summit of Gallow's Hill in the Townland of Tullymongan, ancient
Cavan contained another which tradition remembers to have been called
"Brogan's Castle" and which stood in the main street
opposite Mr. Fitzgerald's house, not far from the Gallow's Hill. Has
the site of this been marked on the plan of the town? The site of the
Monestary is still pointed out by the burial ground and the
"Friar's Walk".

Why the castle in the Main Street was called Brogan's Castle I
have not been able to learn though I consulted the oldest and most
intelligent men and women in the town about it. In the Pedigree of
Count O'Reilly, I find it recorded that-

"Walter's Castle in Cavan was erected by Garrett Fleming."

but no other castle is mentioned but Tullymongan. It is therefore
probably that Castle Brogan is a corruption of Castle-Gearroid or
Garrett's Castle.

Cavani oppidum igne muliere excitato deletum!

The following passage in the Annals of the Four Masters will give one
an idea of the site of the ancient Town of Cavan-

"A.D. 1576. The great Monastery at Cavan and the town
itself from the Monastery down to the River were burned by the
daughter of Thomas, the son of the Baron, through jealousy (i.e.
during a fit of jealousy). The injury done by this fire was great
indeed - so great a destruction had not been witnessed in any town
among the Irish for a long time before."

Fabella de origine nominis Castleterrae

The Irish name of Castleterra is Cois an tSiorraigh, i.e. the Foal's
Foot, and contrary to my anticipation, the name has no connection
with Castle of even Cashel. The origin of it is attributed to the
Patron Saint finding the impression of a foal's foot in some
remarkable rock near which he built his Church, but this impression
is not now visible. Howbeit Castleterra (vulgarly Castletara) is now
so well established that we could not take it upon us to alter Castle
even if we could find the rock with the foal's foot. The legend goes
on to state that the Patron Saint of Cushintirra when he was erecting
his CHurch saw to the east of him a crowd of people assembled on a
hill, and that he called the hill Drong, for that reason because
Drong in the Cotic language sounds crowd or people in the English.
Hence the origin of the name Drong which afterwards beczme the name
of a Church and Parish.

Has St. Patrick left us any account of his travels through Briefny? I
had the pleasure of his company in Derry, Monaghan and Donegal, but I
do not meet with him here at all! I fear he never hallowed Briefny
with his presence. Let O'Keeffe (I wish O'Keeffe would) look over
Evin's Tripartite Life of him, and see if the Hy-Briuin offered as
much opposition to him as they do at present to the Methodists? The
Hy-Briuin are so fond of the ancient Faith that they are afraid that
ny intention is to make Protestants of the townland names!

As I have happened to mention St. Patrick who, as appears from
the discoveries of modern investigators, was deeply imbued with the
Pelagian heresy, it may not be impertinent to observe here that the
efforts of his successors, the teachers of the Bible through the
medium of the Irish language, have created in the minds of the
peasantry, a hatred for every thing written in that language and that
the society who encourage them could not have adopted a more
successful plan to induce them to learn English and hate their own
language. Similar causes similarly situated will produce similar effects.

I had a visit from a member of the Synod of Ulster here last night,
who took great pains to explain to me the Divine Doctrine of
Predestination -

"Everyman has be predestined from eternity either to be saved or
damned. If predestined to be saved he will be saved in despite of the
Devil, and if predestined to be damned, no effort of his own can save
him, but as man does not know utrum, he must pull away as well as he
can." The Doctrine of Purgatory and prayers for the dead is more
humane and better fitted for the Breifnian mind than this doctrine of
the divine Calvin. You will hear from me next from Virginia.

Your obediant servant,

John O'Donovan

No date given

Corruptio nominum locorum

Every ng is pronounced here like gh gutteral and there is a Townland
in the Parish of Casteterra called Daingean, a fastness, which custom
has established as Deggan or Daggen, a name which in the west and
south of Ireland would be Dangan. It is really too bad that one must
yield so far to local corruption- but you will find that it is so
strongly fixed as Daggan that it would be too violent now to correct
it. The Townland of Lisnagowan is called by the Irish Lis O'Gowan,
i.e. O'Gowan's or Smith's Fort, but still Lisnagowan is the
established Anglicized name and, to my great vexation, cannot be
touched. As use will render anomalies and unphilosphical expressions
inviolable in the spoken and written dialect of a people, so will it
with equal authority, establish corrupt names in a topographical nomenclature.

Of Ballyhayes I can find no record but the following-

"From Rory, the son of Felim O'Reilly, sprung a tribe who gave
their name of Sliocht-Rory to the district lying between Beal-Atha-Heis
(Ballyhayes) and Beal-Atha-na-Cairge (Ballynacargy)."

"Manus, the son of the aforesaid elim, possessed the country
lying near Ballyhayes to the west side of the river."

There is no mention of a castle having ever been erected in Ballyhayes.

The Heath House

May 25th 1836

To Mr. John O'Donovan

Dear Sir,

I learn from Mr. Larcom, who has been so obliging as to write to me,
that your labors in the Territory of Breifne have fully commenced and
that your summer's researches after ancient topography etc., will
comprise both the Breifnes together with Meath. By this you will have
ascertained all the local history of the O'Reillys and O'Rourkes and
I hope to find you able to add much matter to our family history,
tho' principally, I fear, in the department of Patriotism and
Privation. I enclose you a note of introduction to Mr. Morton of
County Cavan which I want you to personally present to him, and whom
I hope may be of use to you.

I shall expect communications from you and shall be glad, if
circumstances permit, to join you for a short time in the course of
the Summer in your movements through my Principality and claim due
allegiance to, Dear Sir,

Yours very truly,

Myles J. O'Reilly

Cavan

May 27th 1836

Dear Sir,

I send you the Name Books of the parishes of Crosserlough,
Castlerahan, Lurgan, Killinkere, Mullagh adn Munter-Cuhonnaught, from
which you will observe that we are losing no time.

I have received Mr. O'Reilly's letter of introduction to Mr. Morton,
but you have learned by this time that it will be of no use to me.
Indeed I have resolved not to accept of an hospitable invitation from
any one because I have learned from former experience that Irish
hospitality is calculated to retard my progress. I have got a letter
of introduction from some of the Roman Catholic Bishops to the Irish
Clergy which will answer my purpose better than one from his most
sacred Majesty William IV. At the same time I cannot but feel
extremely obliged to Mr. O'Reilly for hs repeated efforts to serve me
on this as well as on many former occasions.

I am very sorry that you have given up the idea of getting the
Inquisitions for Leitrim copies as I find them of great importance in
settling doubtful points. Could you devise no plan for procuring
them? I fear that the volume of the Strafford Survey lately recovered
does not extend beyond the County of Mayo. I find an authority very
frequently quoted in the Cavan Name Books under the title of
"Commonwealth Survey" which is amazingly correct in every
instance, in fact, the most correct document I ever heard of as far
as regards the orthography of names of Townlands. Can this Survey be
had for the county of Leitrim, or does it extend beyond Cavan?

Mr. Hardiman told me that he had a heap of Inquisitions the height of
a man, ready for publication, but that he never would give them up
until the Government would consent to have them published like the
rest. I would rather have recourse to the originals than refer to a
copy that has turned out to be incorrect in counless instances.

The signification of the name Crosserlough is unquestionably Crois
Air Loch., i.e., the cross on (at or near) the lough, a name which
must have allusion to a cross standing near the old Church. Such
crosses are very frequently found near very ancient Irish churches,
as at Moville and various other Churches in Inishowen, but no cross
of that description can now be found at Crosserlough. There is a
little fable afloat about the erection of the mother Church of the
parish which accounts for the name after a very foolish manner, but
as it is too indistinct I will not waste time to commit it to the
durability of ink. St. Bartholomew is the Patron Saint of this parish.

St. Matthew is the Patron Saint of the Parish of Lurgan, but as
he is not an old Irish Saint we must consider that he has not been
long the President of this parish unless it can be shewn that the
ancient Irish were more in the habit of dedicating Parishes to Saints
who were never in Ireland.

The name of this pairh certainly occurs in the Annals of the Four
Masters though I cannot find it among the Extracts which I have
before me.

The patron of Killinkere parish is St. Ultan, under whose
superintendence I have already met in more than one parish in this
Province. His day is on the 4th of September so that Colgan has given
us no Life of him as he wrote the Calendar only to the end of March.
Is his parish of Cill an Ceur (Cillin Ceir) mentioned in the Irish
Calendar compiled by Michael O'Clery? There is a well dedicated to
him in a townland to which it has given the name of Tober Ultan,
which was formerly visited by a gret concourse of pilgrims, and even
now the old fashioned Brefnians pay it a few visits, as can be
demonstrated from the rags that ornament its sacred thorns.

The purifying essence, however, of water, one of the ancient Gods of
the Irish will soon be deprived of its divinity here, for the
upspringing vigor of the Breifnian mind will reject every foolish
practise with the single exception of drinking Usquebaugh. King John
visited Tiopraid Ultain in Meath, can it be this place? (perhaps not)
The name Ultan signifies the little Ulster man. Does the Calendar
give any outline of his life?

The parish of Mullagh is dedicated (according to tradition) to St.
Kellachan, whose festival was observed in Autumn, but the precise day
is not remembered. Though the name of this Saint is said to be
Kellachan his church is called Teampull Keallaigh and anglicised
Temple Kelly, from which it will appear probable that his real name
is Ceallach. In the O'Reilly Pedigree, I find the following notes on
the church -

"Gelasius Roe had thirteen sons among whom was Cuconnaught, from
whom are descended the family of Mullach, etc."

"Contentions arose between the descendants of Cuconnaugh (now
Munter-Cuconnaught) and the descendants of Gelasius Roe during which
they burned Teampull Cheallaigh at Mullach Lough, since which time it
has never been re-erected and there was no burial in the Churchyard
for a long time after its burning."

The present ruin called Templekelly is a more modern erection.
Mullach Lough is still known by that name and will appear on the map.

I find also (from the O'Reilly Ped. corroborated by Norden's map)
that there was a castel here "The castle of Mullach was ereced
by Conor More

O'Reilly." - O'Reilly Pedigree, page 269.

There are no ruins of this castle at present but it must have stood
on the site of the present little Village of Mullagh and given rise
to it. You may observe that monasteries and castles have given origin
to most ancient Irish villages, just as Public houses are now
beginning to give rise and names to several, as Black Lion, Red Lion,
Man of War, Fox and Goose, all named from signs over the Public
houses that gave origin to these villages! Piety and whiskey
producing the same effects!

Another place in the same neighborhood mentioned in the O'Reilly
Pedigree still retains its ancient name but a little disguised to the
English scholar.

"Conor More O'Reilly (he who erected the Castle of Mullach) had
a son Conor Oge of Beal-Atha-an-Fheadha, etc."

Again - "Gilla-Isa, son of Glasney, died at Bealach an
Fheadha." O'Reilly Ped., page 346

It is called by the latter name at this day, as pronounced by the
Rev. John O'Reilly, the descendant of this very man. It is a townland
in the Parish of Lurgan, now very correctly anglicised Ballagh-an-Ea,
meaning Woody Road or Pass.

The Parish of Munter-Connaught has derived that appellation
from the descendants of a Cuchonnaught O'Reilly having settled in it.
Its Church was dedcated to the B.V. Mary whose festival was kept
there on the 15th of August, and still, strange to say, the holy well
there is named after Saint Patrick. It is situated in the Townland of
Knocknagarton, and will appear on the Map as Toberpatrick. Is it not
a pity that no list of pagan names of the wells have been handed own
to us, called after the Gods of the fountains and runnells.

There is a very interesting name of a lake in the Parish of Lurgan,
the wild ducks of which are celebrated in the Fingallian poems and
romances. It is Loch no dTri gCaol, lacus trium Angustarium, a
curious lake (the name of which is truly descriptive of its shape)
lying on the north west boundary of the Parish.

"Lachain o Loch na dTri gCaol" - Ossian

In the name Lough Ramhar, I fear we cannot follow our established
anglicised orthography of Ramer, for I find that the name of this
great lough is universally spelled Lough Ramor. Let this however
remain for further consideration.

You will have to reserve the name Shantemon in the Parish of
Castleterra until I see it again. It seems to be the hill on which
the O'Reillys were inaugurated Chiefs of Breifny, though I was always
under the impression that Tully-Mongan was the hill. In the O'Reilly
Pedigree I meet the following passage-

"When Malmore (Myles) was at Sean-Tuimin with the nobles of
Breifny around him to create him Chief, Torlogh, the son of Fergal,
came to offer opposition, but had to desert, etc."

I think it better to anglicise the name Shantummin, but the
authorities must first be compared before that spelling be adopted.

I hae received your note enclosing 5 pounds, and the remainder of the
Name Books of Cavan. Tomorrow I shall move to Killeshandra and
O'Conor to Cootehill. We shall next meet at Bailieboro whither I now
wish all letters to be directed with a note ordering the Post Master
to keep them until we arrive, for otherwise he will certainly forward
them to the "Sappers".

I think we had better do the County of Leitrim before Meath as we
have the Extracts from the Annals ready, and that we may give Messrs.
Curry and O'Keefe time to have the Extracts for the great Kingdom of
Meath collected. Meath is by far the most important historical
County in all Ireland and I should think it a pity to go through it
without having the historical and topographical references before us.
This is the season for working, not Winter.

The tribe of Munter-Malmore have commissioned me to state that when
they shall have recovered their ancient Principality of East Breifny
they will set up a rival against our friend in Leix. They have sworn
by the God Crom Cruach, by the sun and the moon and all the elements
to be seen and not to be seen, that they will never suffer him to set
his foot on the stone of Cois an tSiorraigh on the Hill of Sean
Tuimin, nor reign on Tulymongan because of his strenuous and
unoreillylike exertions in support of Tythes, and because of his
attachment to the Beresfords and Lord Farnham, the reigning
pseudo-Lords of Breifny-O'Reilly, who keep the Tribe of Malmore
groaning beneath the iron yoke of slavery.

As O'Conor is not yet up to the established anglicised forms of the
names I have dictated to him the spellings that Iconceive to be the
best, and he has signed my name. This will save me some time.

Your obediant obliged servant,

J. O'Donovan

Carminis maceronici Specimen

Rioghthaoiseach na ruathar ngarbh

O'Raghallaigh na ruadh arm

Do chluintear aoibh a orghuth

Os Muintir Mhaoil mhin Mhordha

A potent prince o'er Eastern Breifny reigns

O'Reilly, red-armed ranger of the plains

Whose warlike voice and bright, majestic face

Command Malmora's proud and might race

Shane O'Dugan

May 28, 1836

Cavan

Dear Sir,

I send you the Name Books for the Parishes of Lowey (Lavwy) and
Annagelliff. The former is called by the Irish Leamhaigh and the
latter Eanach Gailibh, but as being situated in the vicinity of the
Town of Cavan the traditions connected with them are totally
forgotten, as indeed the traditions connected with them are totally
forgotten, as indeed the traditions are here in general, for the
vigorous Tribe of Malmora now attend more to politics than to the
fooleries of miracles and holy wells.

When these Hy Bruiin Breifne are a little better educated it will be
very hard forthe Beresfors to tyrannise over them or shew them the
divine right of paying tythes. The Tribe of Cuconnaught O'Reilly
located in the Barony of Castlerahan are the finest race of men I
have yet seen in Ulster - well built, heavy limbed, healthy and
wicked, qualifications calculated to render a people formidable. In
fact one of them would shake the devil out of his coat if he (not the
devil) were as well acquinted with the battle axe as with the old
Taltenian exercise of wrestling. But lest I might anticipate what I
have to say about the vifor of the race of Cuconnaught O'Reilly nor
of their hatred to swadling preachers, lest you might think me
inclined to waste too much time about things whith which I have
nothing to do.

I cannot make out the Patron Saint of either Parish from tradition or
any other source. The following are the only notices I can find
touching them-

This is certainly our Lowey (Lavwy). The name is pronounced Le-aw-ee
the l being very liquid, the m pronounced like w nasal and the aigh
in the termination like igh in high. It is not an ecclesiastical
name, being derived from Leamhach, which signifies Elmy or
Elm-producing place. The Irish word Lemh is not unlike the English
elm but that former underwent more mortification from aspiration than
the latter but it would not take a Bishop to prove which of them is
the transposed form of this parent word 'lem or elem.

The industry of future investigators will prove the Saxons and Irish
Scots have descended from the same nation of savages who at various
periods sent forth swarms from the north of Europe, as the Russians
are likely to do before many centuries have passed over. But if the
language of Ireland was ever the same with the German or Saxon it
must have received peculiar features from an intermixture with other
languages of a different character. The frequent suppression of m, s
and t that takes place in the Irish language distinguished it from
the northern languages, and perfectly identifies it with the Welsh
and its cognate dialects which reduce hard consonants to mere breathings.

Scotia lingua hybrida, et Waliae, Cognata.

Of the Parish of Annagelliff I only find the following notices in the
O'Reilly Pedigree-

"Richard O'Reilly and his son Owen, together with Philip, the
son of Godfrey, Deacon of Drumland and Vicar of Eanach Gailbhe, and
Donnell O'Keegan, being in one cot on Lough Sheeion, were drowned."

You will hear from me next from the Town of Killeshandra, please to
direct all communications to Baileboro'.

Your obediant humble servant,

John O'Donovan

Cavan, May 28, 1836

I send the Parish of Denn which finishes the Barony of Lower Lough
Tee with the exception of the Parish of Kilmore, which will soon
follow. The Irish name of the Parish of Denn is now Deinn, which is
certainly a corruption of Dinn, a topographical word of frequent
occurrence in our old authorities, such as Dinn Riogh, the ancient
palace of the Kings of Leinster situated on the western bank of the
River Barrow, near Leighlin Bridge in the County of Carlow. It
signifies a hill and seems originally synonymous with Dun (Vocis Denn
significatio). Dinnseanchus, the name of our celebrated legendary
topographical work is explained in the oldest glossaries as Seanchus
Cnoc, i.e., the History of Hills. I should like to spell it Dinn to
make it agree with the name of the Leinster palace but I fear that
use, norma loquendi, is too strong against me.

The only remarkable things of venerable (sacred) antiquity in
the Parish are three wells anciently situated near the Churchyard and
called Tobair na dTri Mic Duach or the Wells of the Three Mac Duaghs
(3 sacrae fontes tribus fratribus dedicatae). There are only two
wells near the Churchyard at present, the third, being insulted by a
woman who polluted it by washing dirty clothes in its sacred water,
emigrated to the Townland of Leggan, where it is yet to be seen. The
three Mac Duaghs were burned in the Churchyard of Denn and their
graves were marked by three rude stones, latterly destroyed by a
minister's son who soon after shot himself.

Mons Gleatha. Mac Brady cognommatus Minister, vir sagax.

The beautiful Mountain of Sleive Glah is in this Parish. It is called
Sliabh Gleatha by Philip Minister Brady in his Romance entitled the
Prodigal Son. This Philip Mac Brady, the Dean Swift of Cavan, was a
native of the Parish of Drong and a Parish Priest until he embraced
the aristocratic religion of the State, for which he has handed down
his name to posterity as Philip Minister. In this Romance he gives
the fable which accounts for the name of Beann Eachlabhra now
Binn-Aghlin and throws great light upon Irish Fairyology. It is
preserved in the MSS in Trinity College, Class H, 1-4; see catalog.

You will observe the frequent occurrence of the names Pottle,
Pole and Gallon in this County. They were ancient measures of land
which seem peculiar to this County like Tate to Fermanagh and
Monaghan and Cartrons and Gnieves to other Counties.

These measures are of English introduction for they certainly are not
Irish. Is there any work that throws light upon what quantity of land
each contain?

I rejoice to find that James O'Reilly, Esq., of Beltrasna in
the County of Meath is the proprietor of a large portion of this
Parish - it must, however, be a purchase as the whole of Breifny
seems to have been forfeited. *

I fear that he and Mr. Morton will be able to throw very little light
upon Mullagh-Castle or Castlerahan.

J. O'Donovan

* The great tenth of the Cavan property possessed by the
Baltrasna branch of the family had belonged to Colonel John O'Reilly,
who represented Cavan in Parliment, commanded a Regt. of Cavalry
(principally of his own followers and equipped at his own expense) on
the side of King James at the Battle of the Boyne and who was
included in the Articles of Limerick. The Estate had been settled by
the Colonel on the marriage of his eldest son -- in strict settlement
under which it would have come to the present Myles J. O'Reilly, his
Great Great Grandson, but Councillor J. O'Reilly, who was a tenant
for life, contrived to buy fines contrry to the settlement and to
effect a sale to ___ O'Reilly of Baltrasna and thus defeated the
settlement which had by omission not been duly enrolled.

There was a long but fruitless litigation mairitand on this subject,
the pleadings of which are extant in possession of Myles J. O'Reilly,
ther person lineally entitled under settlement dated -- of --.